This invention relates generally to clamps for mounting an electrical cordset to the outer wall of a power appliance such as a clothes drier or a cooking range.
The cord that connects electrical wire to a motor in an electrical appliance with a power source must be insulated from the plate, or wall, of the appliances through which the cord passes. Such insulation is accomplished by a mounting clamp that both positions the wire and keeps the wire from the appliance wall, which is generally a conductive metal. In addition, a mounting clamp keeps the cord from being pulled back and forth between the motor and the power source by gripping both the electrical cord and the appliance wall so that the cord will not wear out and allow the wire to pass current to the appliance wall. Such cordset clamps are mounted by the manufacturer of the appliance during assembly.
Typical prior art cordset clamp is a metal clamp manufactured by GAM-PAK PRODUCTS CORP., Hillside, N.J. 07205. This prior art clamp, which is shown as FIG. 1 in the drawings, is made of metal and has two parts, one to grip the appliance wall and the other to grip the cord. The primary problem of the prior art device is that rotary movement of the cord occurs at the cord gripping part of the clamp. Rotary movement of an electrical cord can result in cord fraying and eventual exposure of the electrical wire in the cord.
The present invention contemplates a system for clamping a cordset to an appliance that overcomes the limitations and disadvantages of the prior art by setting forth a cordset clamp that mounts a cordset to an appliance wall so that the cord is prevented from both rotational and lateral movement relative to the clamp.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a cordset clamping system that both grips that appliance wall and grips the electrical cord so that both rotary movement and lateral movement of the cord are prevented.
It is another object of this invention to provide a cordset clamping system that includes a mounting body capable of gripping the electrical cord and a nut member capable of being threaded onto the body so as to both grip the appliance wall between the body and the nut member and to simultaneously grip the cord to prevent either rotatable or other movement.
It is another object of this invention to provide a cordset clamping system that includes a mounting body having opposed body portions and external threads and having a pair of flexible clamping arms capable of being pressed about the cord of the cordset by a nut member having internal threads capable of being threaded about the body portions of the body so as to grip the cord within the clamping arms in non-rotatable and non-lateral movement.
The present invention fulfills the above objects and overcomes the limitations and disadvantages of prior art by providing a cordset clamp system for holding an electrical cord to the wall plate of an electrical appliance that comprises the wall plate forming a generally circular aperture; a cylindrical body forming external threads and having an axis and a body diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the aperture and forming an axial passage adapted to pass the cord, the body having opposed inner and outer ends and being positioned in the aperture; a flange connected to and extending radially outwardly from the body inner end; a pair of arm members flexibly attached to the outer end of the body, the arm members being adapted to grip the cord; and a nut member having opposed inner and outer portions and forming a chamber adapted to contain the body and the arm members and further forming internal threads at the internal portion adapted to mate with the external threads of the body. The nut member is adapted to be mounted to the body so as to grip the wall plate between the inner portion of the nut member and the flange of the body and is also adapted to press the arm members into gripping relationship with the cord at the outer portion of the nut member.